OH NO!

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The good news is, my son picked up a couple of the deluxe vinyl sets but he doesn't have a record player. The bad news it's his birthday and his mother bought him an all in one jensen piece of consumer crap. Do I tear down his mother's gift by telling him it will ruin the vinyl or just let him play them?

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This isn't answering your question but I'm curious how the vinyl will be ruined. I have all of the SDBS and my player seems decent enough but certainly isn't on the high end. I don't want to ruin my vinyls (as I suspect that your wife wouldn't want to ruin your son's), but I grew up listening to vinyl and don't recall any being ruined from my player. Just curious, thanks.

Edit: Happy Birthday to your son! And give your wife a hug for being thoughtful.

Has the new turntable been used? If not, you could bring it back and exchange it for a better one, just a thought... you want to keep that fresh, minty, virgin vinyl as fresh and minty for as long as you can.

Has the new turntable been used? If not, you could bring it back and exchange it for a better one, just a thought... you want to keep that fresh, minty, virgin vinyl as fresh and minty for as long as you can.

Yes, He's all into vinyl now and I don't have the cash to get him a quality Turntable. The one his mother bought doesn't even have a platter the size of a 33". As far as bringing it back, how do I tell him it's shit without crapping all over his mother's gift? She was trying to be cool and even though we aren't together I don't like trash talking her or her attempts at being a mom.

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Has the new turntable been used? If not, you could bring it back and exchange it for a better one, just a thought... you want to keep that fresh, minty, virgin vinyl as fresh and minty for as long as you can.

Now I feel stupid. I thought for sure I read 'box' or 'super'. Really, the kid should play them as much as he wants. As long as he replaces the needle when it gets worn, and keeps the discs sleeved, they'll sound fine for hundreds of plays.

When he upgrades his table he'll always be able to update the vinyl too if he feels he needs to.

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Has the new turntable been used? If not, you could bring it back and exchange it for a better one, just a thought... you want to keep that fresh, minty, virgin vinyl as fresh and minty for as long as you can.

Now I feel stupid. I thought for sure I read 'box' or 'super'. Really, the kid should play them as much as he wants. As long as he replaces the needle when it gets worn, and keeps the discs sleeved, they'll sound fine for hundreds of plays.

When he upgrades his table he'll always be able to update the vinyl too if he feels he needs to.

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I would say both of the above, upgrade the needle cartridge and or just play them.

I was told to tape records asap on maxell cro2 tapes and never play the record again. What a waste...i grew up listening to records as a young kid. The whole process of dropping the needle and getting a kick out of the music was so much fun. It was when i was taught about cleaning the records, taping them right away and then buying compact discs where all the wasting of time and money took place.

Honestly with the quality control being so good these days, i would not worry about a cheap needle cutting and wearing any record out. Definitely just play the records and play them loud, even with a crappy panasonic like i had, w plastic speaker cabinets rattling...was alot of fun and good memories.

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Just curious, which is better, reel to reel or vinyl? I have friends in both camps who claim their's is best.

Opinions???

Horses for courses. If it is assumed that both playback machines are set up perfectly and have the same amplification and speakers. Vinyl goes through more processes in the mastering and playback stages (e.g lacquering, cartridge and phono pre selection) that add to its character. Reel to reel is dependent on tape speed, type and noise reduction (if used).

Reel to reel enthusiasts might argue that their format is closer in sound to the source tape whereas vinyl champions may counter that the source tape is merely another stage along the way to the final finished record.

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I got a kenwood three head cassette player recently and dug out some old tapes. They sounded great!

I have 2 decks in the attic someplace - both Nakamichi, one is a BX something or the other, and the 2nd one is a Dragon. I never really understood how in the last 18 months people have begun to collect tapes again, but to each his own.

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Just curious, which is better, reel to reel or vinyl? I have friends in both camps who claim their's is best.

Opinions???

Reel to reel in theory should be better IF you are listening to the original reel that the tape was recorded on the first time - a friend of mine has Harmond Kardon reel to reel that he swears by, it looks cool in his rec room with the rest of the gear he has but it seems a bit silly to me, but to each his own really.

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The good news is, my son picked up a couple of the deluxe vinyl sets but he doesn't have a record player. The bad news it's his birthday and his mother bought him an all in one jensen piece of consumer crap. Do I tear down his mother's gift by telling him it will ruin the vinyl or just let him play them?

Never shite on a gift that someone gives you, if you don't like it, just keep mum about it I guess. But the truth is, you can find all sorts of AMAZING CLASSIC turntables on Kijiji or Craigs List, but again, if your amp is shit or the speakers shite you are back to square one again.

The old Kenwood white marble turntables with direct drive are fantastic sound with a good stylus

The other classic is the Denon DP1200, it is in my opinion one of the best turntables I have ever seen or played. Akai made some great turntables as well. Dual has some good stuff as well - and don't laugh but Realistic had some decent turntables

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There are some valves on that amp in that cartoon, is it worth buying a valve amp..?

I think you mean a tube not valves? I have a wonderful tube amp from 1976 at home that weights about 50 lbs - when it warms up, nothing sounds more pleasant to the ear, I have a modern NAD amp and as good as it is, and it's really good, my old tube Kenwood amp from 1976 sounds better.

The part I love the most is that when you turn it on, you can actually hear a humming noise as it warms up - I power it on, and wait about 3 minutes and put music on and I get this feeling like its driving down the highway tractor trailer style - Kashmir just sort of hums along like an ocean wave

Edited November 7, 2016 by Charles J. White

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Reel to reel in theory should be better IF you are listening to the original reel that the tape was recorded on the first time - a friend of mine has Harmond Kardon reel to reel that he swears by, it looks cool in his rec room with the rest of the gear he has but it seems a bit silly to me, but to each his own really.

Thanks Charles, much appreciated.

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I think you mean a tube not valves? I have a wonderful tube amp from 1976 at home that weights about 50 lbs - when it warms up, nothing sounds more pleasant to the ear, I have a modern NAD amp and as good as it is, and it's really good, my old tube Kenwood amp from 1976 sounds better.

The part I love the most is that when you turn it on, you can actually hear a humming noise as it warms up - I power it on, and wait about 3 minutes and put music on and I get this feeling like its driving down the highway tractor trailer style - Kashmir just sort of hums along like an ocean wave

Here in the U.K. We call them valve amps, tube or valve, it's the same thing...